


Cutoffs

by howbadcanmyficsbe



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Deutsch | German, Nonbinary Character, Other, Post-Canon, Queerphobic slurs, Trans Character, Transphobia, just a bit of violence it's just a punch, mentions of binding, warning for newt in cute cutoff shorts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-22
Updated: 2014-07-22
Packaged: 2018-02-09 22:20:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2000088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/howbadcanmyficsbe/pseuds/howbadcanmyficsbe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Newt tries to escape the summer heat by wearing cute clothes. An asshole appears. Hermann responds accordingly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cutoffs

“Dude what’s the temperature supposed to be today?”

“The high is an estimated 38 degrees Celsius,” Hermann calls to the bathroom where Newt is changing.

“What the _fuck_ man. I guess this calls for the cutoffs.” A few moments later Newt is standing in the kitchen of their apartment clad in a band t-shirt, tattoos swirling on his arms. On his shoulder sits a small purse containing his wallet and keys. Below, his recently shaven legs are covered by nothing but a pair of worn cutoff jean shorts, reaching only a small portion of Newt’s calves. “Alright, you ready?” he beams, hands on his hips.

Hermann looks up from his cell phone and his eyes narrow. “Do you think those are entirely appropriate fo-”

“C’mon Herms,” Newt interrupts. “This heat is enough to make me produce at least a gallon of sweat an hour, I have to prepare. Besides, I’m feeling cute today. That’s why I’m wearing a bra today too.”

Hermann grabs his cane and stands, walking to face Newt. “You are captivating,” he whispers, and pecks a kiss onto Newt’s forehead. “Let’s get on our way,” Hermann says as he turns to open the door.

“Haha, okay,” Newt chimes, exiting to the hallway.

Berlin, normally a fairly pleasant city, is slow and awkward with the oppressive heat of July, humidity and burning sun weighing down on the population. It reminded the two scientists of being stationed in Sydney, where the heat was so common that people in the summer rarely spent a moment outside the safety of their air conditioning. As Hermann sits in the bus stop rest area, Newt tries to put a hand on the other’s shoulder while barely touching him. Newt grimaces slightly, feeling the body heat of not only Hermann but the surrounding Berliners waiting for the transport to arrive. Newton sighs as he wipes the sweat from his brow. Hermann turns his face up to look at Newt. He places his hand lightly on top of Newt’s.

“Ist was mit dir?” Hermann says, concerned.

“...Es ist ein bisschen warm, oder?” Newt answers with a laugh. Hermann smiles understandingly and faces forward again, eyeing the digital bus schedule next to the shelter. Meanwhile, Newt tries to compose himself but freezes as he feels a presence beside him. Ignoring the man next to him, he tries to stare ahead without looking.

“Hey,” the man says in an irritated tone. Newt detects an American southern drawl in his voice.

Newt purses his lips and turns towards the man. “Ja, kann ich Ihnen helfen?” Newt attempts to muster a polite voice.

“What? I don’t speak German.”

“Oh, sorry. Can I help-”

“What are you supposed to be anyway? Some kind of fag? I can’t tell if you’re a chick or a guy.”

Before Newt could even consider a response, he feels Hermann move underneath his hand and suddenly Hermann is punching the man square in the gut. With a pained groan, the man crumples to his knees. Newt’s eyes are wide as he looks from the man to Hermann. The mathematician, wearing outdated trousers, oxfords, and white shirt tucked underneath his belt clutches his cane and shakes the hand that made an impact with the man’s stomach. A look of pure fury is on his face. A crowd of people waiting for the bus stands, but the mob is silent and still.

“If you say another word to him I will personally send your arse back to whatever bloody country you’re a tourist from. Now piss off.” Hermann yanks an awestruck Newt’s hand and drags him to the bus that is approaching the stop. The surrounding spectators begin to discuss the incident in hurried, muffled German. As Newt’s face morphs from shock to elation he turns back to the man who is still on the ground before entering the bus.

“Hey,” Newt yelled. “Since you wanted to know, I’m genderfluid. Have a great day shithead!” The crowd explodes into a frenzy of gasps and laughing. Smiling, he follows a livid Hermann onto the bus. Newt sits next to Hermann, grateful for the cool air blowing above them.

The biologist puts his hand on Hermann’s knee comfortingly. “...Es tut mir leid.” Newton says.

“Nein, es tut _mir_ leid Newton. You know how that kind of thing makes me feel,” Hermann replies quietly. “Your gender is not anyone else’s business, especially not some horrid tourist.”

“Hey man if he was so interested in my dick he should’ve said so in the first place.” Newt notices Hermann is not amused and stops. “I’m sorry. I know this shit is hard for you to take.” He squeezed Hermann’s leg. “I know you know how hard it is not to pass.”

Hermann breathes out through his nose and holds Newt’s hand. “The problem is not taking it… but the memories it brings. Memories where all I did was take it and I could never do a thing about it.” He sighs. “I cannot take it anymore. That was why I confronted him. So you would not have to take it.”

“Dude I think you did a little more than confront him. It was more like full on ass kicking. But close enough.” He kisses Hermann’s cheek. “Ich liebe dich.”

Newt then stands and offers a hand as they came to their stop.

Despite the heat, Newt feels better than ever.

After purchasing Hermann’s binder, they return home.

And despite the confines of his hot binder, Hermann feels better than ever walking beside Newt in the streets of Berlin. 

**Author's Note:**

> ehhhh i've been wanting to write a newmann fic for a few weeks and this came into my head. my headcanon hermann is a trans man and newt is dmab genderfluid. the cutoffs are a bit of a shoutout to the iasip episode "mac and charlie: white trash." the joke is that the transphobic guy is white trash. there's also some german in here and this was all from memory so if any of it is wrong let me know, i'm far from fluent in it. 
> 
> yep i also only read through this like once so yea. enjoy bc trans people are cool \m/


End file.
